title: Immune modulatory oligonucleotides in the prevention and treatment of allergen-induced eustachian tube dysfunction in the animal model.
abstract: This article reviews the current literature investigating the applications and success of immune modulatory oligonucleotides as immunotherapy to treat and prevent allergen-induced eustachian tube dysfunction in animal models. Synthetic DNA-based immunotherapy agents composed of unmethylated cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpG ODNs) that bind to Toll-like receptors have been found to have tremendous potential as therapeutic agents and adjuvants. CpG ODNs can induce a shift in the cytokine profile and immune response that favors the T-helper type 1 pathway and suppresses the T-helper type 2 pathway. This makes CpG ODNs promising candidates for treating allergic diseases. Current CpG ODN studies have demonstrated prevention and treatment of acute allergen inflammation of the eustachian tube in an animal model of otitis media. Immune modulatory oligonucleotides in immunotherapy, administered systemically or topically, have been shown to be safe and effective in the animal model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB# 7070, G0412 Neurosciences Hospital, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7070, USA. dblanks@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: Deidra A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Blanks
authors.forename: Charles S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ebert
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000819:agonists / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000485:Allergens; C408982:CPG-oligonucleotide; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors